Improvement in combined wheel-harrows and seed-sowers



2 Sheets-Sheeb l. E. R. POWELL.

GGMBNED WHEEL-HARR-OW AND SEED-SOWER. N0 173,310l .Patented Feb.'22,1876.

N.PETFRS. FlOTO-LITHOGRAPHEH. WASHINGTON. D. C.

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COMBINED WHEEL-mmm AND SEED-sown. No. 173,810. v Patented-Feb. 22.1876.

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N.PEERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. Dv C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

EDWIN R. POWELL, 0F WINOOSKI, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS HIS RIGHT TO FREDERICK C. KENNEDY AND LUTHER C. DODGE, OF BURLINGTON, VT.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINED WHEEL-H ARROWS AND SEEDSOWERS.

Specification forming-part of Letters Patent No. 17 3,810, dated February 22, 1 876; application tiled l January 13, 1876.

vibrating bottom is attached, by means ofelongated vertical pins, a seriesof oscillating arms running up through the center oi' the seed-box and iixed in the center ot' their length -to a cross-bar by loose pivots, this crossbar being portable, and, when adjustable for use, is fitted into a slide at either end of the seedbox. On the outside of the seedbox, and tixed at front of the main axle, is a metallic frame carrying a shat't, at one end of which is a gear meshing with a larger gear on the hub of the sulky-wheel. At the otherl or inner end of this shaft is a cam, having in its face a waveshaped groove. Running in this cam-groove, and on its lower side, is an oscillating lever, which connects with the vibrating bottom of the seed-box, giving it (the bottom) twentyfour motions to each revolution of the sulkywheel. On this cam-shaft, between the gear and cam, and close to the latter, is an eccentric collar, with a lever attached to it, which, when thrown out from the seed-box, disconnects the gears, audwhen drawn to the seedbox, meshes the gears, rotating the shaft and cam, oscillating the lever, and vibrating4 the y upper bottoln of seed-box, as stated. At the front of the seed-box, and withln reach of the driver, is a vertical adjusting-bar having a spring-crank moving over a perforated locking-plate. The vertical bar passes down through the sulky-axle, under it, and to the adjustable bottom of the seed-box, the operating of which adjusting-bar admits of the perforations in thetwo bottoms of the seedbox, to be opened or closed, more or less, to suit kind and quantity of material sowed.

` When so desired, the pert'orations may be eutirely closed, the gears thrown out of mesh, and theapparatus used as a wheel-barrow only.

The invention further consists in combining the above seed sowing mechanism with my improvements in wheel harrows and gra-inplanters, for which Letters Paten t were granted to the petitioner under date of November 29, 1870, and` numbered 109,754.

Figure l is a top view ot' the seed-sowing device and harrow combined, ready for use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section through the seedsowing device on line A B', Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a section through the seedsower and harrow on line E F', Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged section through the seed-soweron line C D, Fig. 2.. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section through the seedsower on line G H', Fig. 3.

A in the drawing represents an axle-tree; B B, wheels', C, a rigidl tongue; and D, a drivers seat, (all of which may be of any usual eonstruction,) constituting a sulkyY frame, which is employed to drag and carry the harrow or coverer proper, as required. E represents the barrow-axle, and F F a pair of wheels, constituting a truck, whichl forms the medium ot' attachment and support for the front end of the harrow. g g g represent the barrow-teeth, and H ,H dragv rods and chains vattaching the truck-axle E to the rigid tongue C. K represents adjustable clevises on the barrow-wood, engaging with perforated lugs `on the axle E. L represents a hand-lever for elevating the rear end of the harrow Gr. M is a chain attaching the rear end of the harrow G to the elevating hand-lever L..l N is a grooved pulley affording an elevated support for the chain M, and O a supplementary pulley reiexing the chain M to the line of draft of the lower end of the lever L. P is a U-shaped bracket providing bearings for the lower pulley 0. R is a seed-box having a sloping back,1 1 being covers to the same. S represents a wave-shaped-groove cam; S, au eccentric collar, and S/ a lever for throwing gears T and T in and 'out of mesh.

rotating shaft, T. T is a large gear, se-

T is an eccentric sleeve inclosing a those in the upper bottoin U.

in a line with the axle-tree A,

cured to the hub of Wheel B, meshing with and rotating a smaller gear, T, which latter is secured to, and rotates, theshaft Tll within the eccentric sleeve T. U represents an oscillating lever connecting the cam S with `a ,countersnnk apertured upper bottom,U/,in the seed-box R, one end of which lever has a sleeve or roller runningin the groove of the cani S` the other end a stud engaging with the bottom U. V is an adjustable bottom inthe seed-box R,'being perforated with countersunk apertures to correspond with The countersinks inthe bottoms prevent any lodgment at the bottom of the seedbox or between the bottoms. X represents a rigid arm, secured to the adjusting-bottom V, and engaging with a slot in the lower end of the spring-'adjusting lever .X and X. represents an adjusting spring-lever for operating, moving to and fro the adjustable bottom V of the box R.v lX represents acor` rugated locking-plate, secured to the front of the seed-box R. Y is a series of partitions in the seed box R to strengthen the bottom of the box and prevent shifting of the contents of the same when on ya hillside or 'uneveny ground.4 Z represents a broad fiat stay, pass;

ing from the pole C to and over the seed-box R, the front end being turned under for the purpose ot' elasticity, and the back end formed into a Y or yoke, the Whole forming an elevated support for the pulley N, the seed-box R, which is firmly secured in position, supporting the stay. Zl represents a series of agit-ating-pins secured to the vibrating bottom U/and operated by the same.

In operation, the seed or other material to lbe distributed is placed in the seed-box It.

The quantity per acre is then regulated by throwing the adjusting spring-lever X to or from the driver, he being in the seat D. The lever being a strong spring pressing toward the corrugated locking plate X, it (the lever) is firmly held in position by engaging with the vcorrugation that may -be at` the point of set of the lever.

The harrow or cover G being attaehed to they sulky-frame, the lever L is thrown forward-to allow the harrow G to fall to the ground. The driver draws the shippingvlever S toward the box R, which act meshes the gears T and T, rotating the shaft Tf and f2 Waele cam S, causing the lever U to oscillate, and the upper bottom of the seed-box R to vibrate, sowing the seed, 85e., evenly upon the ground to (in turn) be covered bythe barrow G.

In passing to and froml the held, or if, from any cause, it is desirable to throw the apparatns out of action, the lever S is thrown forward,disconnecting the gears T and T, and the leverL drawn back, raising the harrow G from the ground, or rather its back end is raised from the ground, causing it to move by means of the wheels F F, attached to its front end.

The vertical pins Z serve to prevent any lodgment or packing of seeds or fertilizers by keeping such seeds or fertilizers in a state of constant agitation.

Whatlclaim as my invention isl. In a seeding-machine, the combination with aseed-box, ot' an adjustable bottom and 4a vibrating bottom or slide, the perforations in both being countersnnk and so placed in the seed-box that the larger diameters of the perforations are on the'upper side of the bottoms, as and for the purpose herein set forth. 2. In a seeding-machine, the combination, with a seed-box, of an adjustable anda vibrating bottom having a series of vertical agitating-pins, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I l

3. In a seedingmaehine, the gears T and T, eccentric sleeve T, shaft Tf, lever S, wave-shaped-groove cam S, and oscillating lever U, (combined as vherein described,) operating the vibrating bottom of the-seed-box, and operated by the rotating of the wheel B, substantial] y as set forth.

4. In a seeding-machine, the adjustingl spring-lever X, working at its upper end in or along a corrugated locking-plata'X, and connected to'a rigid arm, X, on the adjustingbottom V, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

5. In a seeding-machine, the broad iiat stay Z secured to the pole, being bent under at one end and havinga pulley-yoke at the other end, as and for the purposes herein set forth.`

, EDWIN R.POWELL.

Witnesses:

LORENZO A. ATWooD, DAVID J. FITZGERALD. 

